


Or They Say He Is

by BrainsAnaylsis



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Five Stages of Grief, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Murder, Spoilers, awesamdad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrainsAnaylsis/pseuds/BrainsAnaylsis
Summary: Spoiler warning for the plot points of March 1st--Sam killed his son.Dream had pulled the trigger, but he'd practically handed him a loaded gun.(Ghostinnit version of the events after Tommy's death)
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Ranboo & Toby Smtih | Tubbo, Ranboo & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Sam | Awesamdude & TommyInnit, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 41
Kudos: 296





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning for guns, assault, murder, and some pretty bad grief. Stay safe out there.

The message hissed through the receiver, a cold, robotic voice carrying no sympathy for the news it bore. Sam almost missed it, but his heart stilled as the message end echoed through the prison's barren halls.

  
_"...Was slain by Dream."_

  
The Warden froze in place, looking back to the hallway he'd come from.

  
Tommy.

  
It almost didn't register. The boy he'd just talked to- the person who'd begged him to get away from his prisoner, his responsibility.

He was just killed.

  
And it was all his own fault.

  
His breathing slowed as he turned and forced his way back through the halls, moving as fast as his legs would take him, his vision blurred by the time he reached his destination.

  
True to the message, Tommy's name no longer appeared through the lava.

  
Only Dream.

  
Dream.

  
Oh God, Dream.

  
Dream couldn't have. He wouldn't have.

Everything he'd said, each cold and calculated word made it clear Tommy wouldn't die under his watch.

  
But he'd changed.

  
Sam had noticed it; he was calmer, less desperate to escape. The way he looked at Tommy, he didn't care if the kid was alive or dead anymore. He'd used him for entertainment, and like a toy he'd grown out of, Dream had finally tossed him to the side.

  
The Warden couldn't bear to look at the camera.

  
He'd killed him.

  
Dream had pulled the trigger, but Sam had given him the gun.

  
\--

  
Sure, Dream didn't expect to kill Tommy, but at this point, he really didn't care. The kid was so annoying, and honestly, was there even a point keeping him around anymore?

  
Power was worthless with no way to use it, and if he needed to bring Tommy back, well..  
Keeping their friends life over everyone's head was something, wasn't it? After all, he was the only one who could bring Tommy back.

  
"Dream, Dream, please no stop don't-"  
It hadn't really taken that many punches to get rid of him.

  
He supposed the smell of rot wouldn't be wonderful after some time, but he could always push the body into the lava.

  
The message flashed on his receiver once the kid finally went quiet, some saditistic smile finally gracing his face.

  
_"Tommyinnit was slain by Dream."_


	2. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ranboo and Tubbo come face to face with loss, and Sam struggles to realize their method for dealing with it.

"Tommy is gone." Sam's voice cracked, pain seeping from his voice. He stood at the entrance to the prison, picking at the edges of his armor.

  
"He's what?"

  
God, the man had never been so happy to have a mask.

  
He could practically feel their eyes on him, burning through any armour or disguise he had set up, but at least they couldn't see the tears in his eyes.

  
"Tommy died. Dream killed him."

  
He forced his gaze up from the ground and took a deep breath, facing the boys in front of him.

  
"I'm sorry."

The air was quiet except for the rainfall for a split second, water seeping through Sam's outfit and drawing out a shiver irregardless of how numb he already felt.

Silence.

Then laughter.

The warden's head darted to the side as his breathing drew shorter, temporarily windless as he traced Tubbo's face despite his obstructed vision.

  
"No he isn't!"

  
Sam swallowed the air for a second before regaining his ability to speak. "What?"

  
"Tommy wouldn't just die." The boy waved him off, a cheerful expression cutting through the other's very core. "He would go out with a bang. That's not Tommy."

  
"Tubbo, I'm dead serious." The elder's voice was soft, masking his alarm with empathy. "He died. Dream punched him to death."

  
Though the smile on the others' face didn't droop, his voice at least drew quieter, as if trying any harder would simply break it.  
"Surely not."

  
"No, Tubbo's right! Tommy wouldn't die, just like that." Ranboo seconded as Sam's head snapped in his direction. "That's just not a Tommy thing to do."

  
"Right? See? Thanks big man!" All of the brightness behind the younger teens' smile returned. "I knew you'd have my back!"

  
"Tubbo-"

  
"Seriously Sam, what happened? Some sort of code block trick?" Ranboo gazed over his communicator, scrunching his face to see if he'd missed any details. "I'll give it to you, it looks pretty realistic."

  
"Get your hands on one of those code blocks and wanted to test it out? I don't blame you, I would too!" Tubbo chirped. "You could've just given yourself infinite netherite though, Sam, why would you-"

  
"Tubbo."

  
The boy finally drew silent, and only then did the creeper-man realize the boys had drawn closer together.

  
"I'm sorry. Tommy's gone. I'm.. This wasn't the reaction I was expecting, but there's nothing I can do. I'm so sorry."

  
With that, he turned and walked as fast as he could back to the prison. He couldn't bear to hear the teens' voices as they laughed it off once again.

  
He didn't see a boy with 3-D glasses make his way away from the treeline as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter one blew up way quicker than I thought, so here's chapter two! Who was listening in on that conversation?
> 
> Comments are my motivation, thank you for the kind words on chapter one!


	3. Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is checked on by someone he'd never expect while he goes through Tommy's items.

Out of everyone to get a message from, Jack was not the person Sam expected. Jack, who'd smiled at Tommy's pain. Jack, who'd lured him in the way of a nuke. Jack, who'd stolen Tommy's hotel.

Now, as Sam stood breathless by the things in his locker Tommy would never be back to claim, he couldn't help but think maybe he'd been too quick to judge him.

"Sam, I'm supposed to check on you," The roboticized version of Jack's voice trilled. "How're you holding up, mate?"

The warden's gaze slowly but steadily shifted to the screen, his fingers shaking as he tried to type something out on his communicator, cursing as he could only manage jumbled letters bearing no resemblance to "I'm okay". He shut his eyes and sat his communicator down, slowing his breathing.

"You good, big guy?" The voice hummed again, sounding far too concerned for what Sam thought he deserved.

He left the communicator buzzing on the floor as he sat himself next to the chest, sorting through the items Tommy left behind. A set of armour that could have defended him from Dream's attack. A sword that could've fended the man back. A god apple, once Dream's, that would've given him the health and fire resentence he needed to escape. All things Sam forced him to leave behind. When the communicator finally stopped, the chitchat between others a dull roar, the Warden was exhausted. His heart ached as he finally lifted the communicator and typed a single, simple phrase.

"Today, I think I made my first mistake as Warden."

His whole body was practically shaking as he hit enter, immediately leaving the network in favor of curling in on himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos!! I have to say, quite a few of you have made me giggle.


	4. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam needs to retrieve a body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive trigger warning on this chapter:  
> -Implied/Referenced Phycological Torture  
> -Loud noises  
> -Screaming  
> -Implied/Referenced Suicidal Thoughts
> 
> Stay safe out there dudes <3

The first matter of business should be retrieving Tommy's body, Sam knew, but the thought of facing dream right now made the Warden sicker than he would admit. This man had killed his boy, how was he supposed to be a fair captor? All he wanted right now was for Dream to hurt. To feel what Tommy must've felt as he bled out on the prison's hard, cold floor. He knew it was against every legal binding he'd ever signed, but then again, hadn't he broken his contract with Tommy too? Why should he adhere to this one?

Sam sucked in his breath and pulled a mask to his face. 

The last binding he'd broken left one of the people he loved dead.

He had to avoid breaking another.

For Tommy's sake.

With that, the Warden finally made his way to the cell. The closer he got, however, the more things he noticed.

The ticking was loud, even from here. It sounded like someone rhythmically beating a drum as loud as their arms would allow, a person punching a wall, someone slamming a button over and over again. If he could hear the noise at this volume outside the lava, what in the world was Dream hearing? What mechanism had he broken inside of the clock to make this noise?

As he approached the wall, he practically felt his face pale.

**"SAM, LET ME OUT, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, AT LEAST KILL ME!!"**

A moment froze and the screams only got louder. 

**_"IT HURTS, NOTHING I DID TO HIM HURT THIS BADLY, SAM IT'S TOO LOUD PLEASE, PLEASE-"_ **

Dream.

His heart started to race in his chest as he entered the keycode the lava lowered. The shrieking and pleading slowed to a dull whimper, but the ticking- oh God, the ticking.

The noise bounced off the walls and made its way back to Sam, so ear shatteringly loud the Warden hissed and held his hands to his ears.

His eyes fell on Dream when the lava was at it's lowest.

The man was curled up in the corner, rocking back and forth, hands pressed to his ears, mask long discarded. No tears escaped his eyes as they watered, only gazed fearfully at the apirition in front of him.

A shadow.

Sam's gaze flickered to the being, who immediately turned to him with a beaming smile. His breathing stopped all together as the figure waved, moving to the front of the cell and yelling over the lava.

"OI! SAM, MY MAN! ABOUT TIME! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM, BUT I'M STUCK WITH THIS GUY AND HE DOES NOT SEEM PLEASED TO SEE ME, MIND HELPIN' ME OUT HERE?" 

Sam knew there were tears dripping from under his mask by now, the clock noises only fading into the background of his mind.

"Tommy?"


	5. Welcome Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tick, tock.  
> Dream didn't quite get rid of an issue like he thought he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for disposal of a body, stay safe my dudes!

"BIG MAN!" The phantom chirped. His head snapped back and forth like a metronome, and Sam's heart sank as he realized the ticking sound was coming from his movement. It sounded so unmistakably like a clock. "SAM! IT'S ME! YEAH! MIND BRINGING THE BRIDGE OVER?"

"How are you-" Sam's voice cracked and Dream laughed dryly, ears shielded by his hands.

"An hour, Sam. He showed up an hour ago. He counted it."

"It was boring as all hell, what was I supposed to do?!" The boy laughed, not a hint of malice in his voice. "No hard feelings, right? Sam, I'm bored, let me go yeah?"

"Please, for gods sake, if we agree on something usually it's something you should listen to," The murderer hissed.

"What made him show up?" The Warden tried to keep his voice even as the ghost groaned.

"STOP TALKING LIKE I'M NOT HERE, BITCHES!" The phantom took a step towards the edge and yipped when he realized how close he was to falling off. "If you _must know_ , I saw the green man shove something into the lava, and that's when I spooked 'em!"

Sam blinked, trying to ignore a sinking feeling in his chest. He turned his gaze to Dream, who only curled up on himself further. He looked back over the cell and felt any color drain from his face.

"Dream, where the hell is Tommy's body?"

"The fucks' that supposed to mean?" The Ghost wrinkled his nose. "I'm right here, bitch!"

"I didn't want to look at him." Dream grumbled. Sam felt sick, having to turn away from the cell to cool himself off.

"What are you even talking about? Sam?" The ghosts voice was uncharacteristically soft before he bounced back. "SAAM, I WANT TO LEAVE NOW PLEASE!" 

Dream's face was more pleading than the boy next to him, and Sam cleared his throat, nodding.

"Dream, away from the bridge." 

The Warden was almost infuriated at the way the prisoner's face reeked of relief, but he chose to ignore it for the joy that lit up the dead kid's face.

"YOU HEAR THAT, BITCH? I'M OUT!" The boy spun around to grin at Dream, who seemed too tired to react. Sam sent the platform to the cell, heart jumping when the ghost jumped onto it before it even stopped moving. "BRING ME IN, BIG MAN!"

The Warden nodded, shifting nervously as the platform moved back. Dream waved; more at Sam, than anything, and he only responded with a glare visible even behind the mask.

"Big man?"

The Warden blinked, only then realizing the loudness of the ticking. He looked down a bit to see the ghost staring up at him.

"...Hello, Tommy."

A beaming smile.

"Hey, Sam."


	6. Coming-to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and the ghost talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for a panic attack, stay safe everyone <3

Sam didn't miss the relief in the ghost's eyes as the lava sank back into place, the way his shoulders relaxed or the ticking got at least _somewhat_ quieter.

"Well that took way too fuckin' long, what was it, a whole week or somethin'? I feel like a slept through that last day, though," He chirped fallowing Sam as they left the main area. The Warden nodded, happy he didn't ever have much of a reputation as a talker. He wouldn't know what to say.

"Holy shit, a whole week with Dream! The hell'd I survive that?"

The man froze in place at that, the wind knocked out of him. He turned back to the ashen boy who'd been trailing close behind him. 

"Big man? Why'd you stop?" The Phantom grew somewhat quieter, looking at their surroundings. "We're uh, we're not anywhere near the exit. You're not gonna make me stay in one of the littler cells, are you? I mean, anything's better than Dream, but come on b-"

"Tommy," Sam cut him off gently, recognizing a growing panic in his voice. Immediately, the ghost froze and stared at him. "I'm not going to keep you in a cell, don't worry."

The boy stayed frozen for a second longer before beaming. "Oh thank god, fuck, man! I thought for a minute we were just leavin' good ol Dream, and as great as that is, this prision hasn't been great to me either. No offense. You did a great job on it and everything, just.. shit man, I don't want to be in here," He laughed, before staring back up at same with wider eyes.

His eye color had shifted from the dramatic electric blue that he normally had to a much paler tone, like all the life had been sucked out of it. His skin had the same story, but instead of just looking paler, it was almost.. grey. He took a minute to note the singes in the boys' hair and bandana before meeting his eyes again.

"Why'd we stop then?"

Sam sighed, rubbing his neck and looking away. "Toms, you just- what was the thing you said? Before you stopped?"

"The what? I talk a lot, Sam, you're gonna haveta be a little more specific than that," The phantom huffed. "What part? How long I'd been in? How I didn't know how I made it out with the hair on my neck? Or-"

"That part," The Warden nodded sadly. "Tommy, would you do me a favor?"

"I'm gonna be real with you, Big guy, I don't have a lot of energy left in me."

"Look down at your hands, for just a minute?"

The ghost wrinkled his nose before glancing down and paling more than he already had. His skin was way too grey to be human, and the edges were faded, almost like he was out of focus.

"Uh.." He started laughing nervously before looking back up at the Warden, a weak smile on his face. "Sam, buddy? Something's- Something's wrong with my skin, how much dust was in your cell there? I'm looking kinda grey over here.."

"Bud," Sam muttered, inwardly wincing when he noticed tears pinpricking at the boys eyes. "Hey, hey, it's okay, you're okay, just-"

"I don't think okay is the right word here, I don't think I'm okay Sam, I'm lookin' awful ghostly here don't you think?" The ticking noise that'd dulled out earlier grew in volume as his neck snapped back and forth, whole body beginning to shake. "I'm pretty clearly the furthest thing from okay if I turned out like this, yeah? Does this mean Dream- Shit, Sam, I wasn't asleep was I? I was, I'm-"

"Tommy," Sam's voice was as firm he could make it without startling any more panic out of the boy and the ghosts' head snapped up to hold his gaze again. "Is it okay if I touch you, Toms?"

He nodded quickly, fallowed by some sort of jumble resembling 'if you can' before Sam carefully took both of the boy's hands in his. It took more focus than he'd admit, but touching a ghost wasn't all that hard- He'd seen it plenty of times when Ghostbur wanted a hug. The Phantom squeezed on his hands tightly, Sam trying to ignore the frantic ticking that he could drive anyone insane had they been around it long enough.

"You're here and now, bud, I'm right here with you, you just need to breathe, okay? Can you do that?"

"I'm not a-" The Ghost shivered hard, trying to keep his vision centered on Sam. "I'm not a pussy, Sam, of course I can fuckin.."

"Try to match with mine, okay? Breathe in for four," The Warden took a long breath, and offered a gentle smile when Tommy managed to do the same.

"Hold for four," He puffed up his cheeks like a chipmunk and the ghost giggled through his sobs and managed to follow suit.

"Out for four." Sam blew the phantom's hair of of his eyes. He smiled when the boy did the same to him and laughed again.

They stayed like that for a minute, breathing, before the ghost had calmed down enough to pull away and wrap his arms around himself, the ticking nearly silent.

"Thanks," He gave a shaky smile at Sam who nodded gently. "So I guess I'm gone, eh?"

"Gone may be something of an oversight. You're still here, Toms." He looked over the boys shoulder at the way they came. "You're just not.."

"Yeah." The ghost smiled weakly. "I'm assuming Dream..?"

"I'm sorry," Sam managed, and the phantom scoffed.

"Don't be. You did what you had to. If anyone should be sorry, it's that jerk. I'm glad I drove him crazy when I got back," The boy shrugged. "Does everyone already know I'm, well, y'know?"

"Most everyone, I think. Ranboo and Tubbo probably told them," The Warden sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, fuck, we'd better break the news that I'm not totally gone!" The ghost laughed.

"You sure you're ready for that?"

"'Course I am! I told you, I ain't no pussy!" He grinned, crossing his arms. "Though, I guess I ain't Tommy anymore, either." He tilted his head at Sam. "Ghostbur got a whole new name, so did Glatt. Might as well give me one too, yeah?"

"I guess if you wanted one-"

"I do!"

"-Well, do you have anything in mind?" 

The ghost paused before breaking out in another grin. "Phantominnit! Sounds like someone's callin' me a Phantom, one of those spooky shits from when you don't sleep, yeah?"

"It does," Sam smiled. "I think it suits you."

"Hell yeah! Now come on, let's go tell the others about me!" He laughed and grabbed the Warden's hand, dragging him down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a google doc I write all my character and plot notes in, it's a very nice cheat sheet if I'm writing so feel free to use it, just tell me! I update it daily, so it's full of spoilers.
> 
> It also includes links to recent clips and animatics :}
> 
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/19OkKRZji3kzWUpoQrVjNuaNT320mhrI62wwMmUHMgoY/edit?usp=drivesdk


	7. Ramifications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phantominnit looks at his items and is in for quite a few surprises..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW, there's a brief and very non-explict mention of torture in this one. The word is just quickly used. Stay safe out there <3

* * *

“I do NOT think my stuff was this organized coming in here, Sam-I-Am,” Phantominnit wrinkled his nose as he sifted through his locker. The armor he’d haphazardly tossed in the chest was now neatly placed on the top of his items, and as he unpacked the chest his eyes widened. Not only was his crap organized, each of his tools had been repaired too full capacity. He glanced back at the armour and let out some sort of surprised scoff. All of the dents and cracks had been repaired with diamond, so the cracks were visible, but were no longer a risk to the integrity of the armor as a whole. Sam stood in the doorway awkwardly, shrugging his shoulders.

“I figured someone would ask for your stuff, y’know? I wanted to have it ready.”

“Then why’d you fix up everything?” The ghost clicked his head a few times before laughing. “Sam, did you effin’ color code this shit?”

“I wasn’t thinking, it’s just how I put it back.”

“There’s no way that was an accident, even like, the shades n' shit are organized!" Phantominnit laughed loudly, marveling at his new armor before looking back up at Sam and pausing when he noticed the man had looked away sadly. "Shit, man, I didn't fuckin' mean that in a mean way, it's a nice gesture-"

"I was seeing if there was anything I could bring into the cell for you," The Warden sighed. "I considered a disc, but there was no way to play it without adding a block in the cell. And if Dream took it.."

The ghost watched Sam's face with some strong emotion that he couldn't quite read.

"I saw the god apple, but if Dream took it instead of you..? Then the weapons, but Dream, and the armor, but.."

"..Dream," Phantominnit finished his sentence and nodded softly. "That's actually sweet, thank you. I guess I just thought you didn't care I was in there, b-"

"Of course I did, bud," The Warden smiled sadly. "I constantly wanted to talk to you and give you updates, make sure you knew I cared. I was just so worried about Dream that.."

"What'd Dream havta do with that?"

"I was so scared he'd use you against me and you'd get hurt," Sam shook his head. "I thought if he knew I cared so much about you, he'd take you as a hostage. You'd get killed or tortured.. but it was stupid of me. I needed to tell you when I could. You shoudln't have died thinking I didn't-"

"I wasn't thinkin' that in the end." The ghost cut him off. "I was worried. I was worried about Tubbo, an' Phil, and Techno." He stood up, placing his chestplate over the charred outfit. "And you, Sam."

The Warden paused. "Why would you be worried..?"

"I know, funny 'cuz I'm the one dying right? But all I could think of was that you'd be blaming yourself, or Phil would hate himself for losing me like he lost Wil. I was worried Tubbo'd loose his love for music discs or Techno'd be sad our last meeting was so.. angry." He liked through the chest for another second. "They weren't too sad, right?"

"Tubbo didn't believe you were gone," Sam watched over the Ghosts' shoulder. "He kept telling me you'd go out with a bang. You weren't gone." He sighed, rubbing his arm. "Then he got angry. He wanted to figure out exactly who set off the tnt. Who led to your death. He doesn't trust me anymore, and I don't blame him, but I heard he made you a grave." 

"Did he ask for primes in my honor?"

"I'm sure he did."

Phantominnit laughed softly, voice wavering. "That's my Tubbo. Tough guy. I was dumb to worry about him. Was everyone else okay..?"

"Technoblade and Philza didn't know, from what I can tell," The Warden chose his words carefully. "I don't think Ranboo wanted to be the one to tell them, but.."

"Ranboo," The ghost quickly cut him off. His voice was wavering softly. "Is Ranboo okay? I can't believe I forgot about him. Fuck, I'm glad Phil and Techno didn't have to know, but Ranboo? He-"

"He was trying to take care of Tubbo, but he misses you. A lot. He left flowers all outside of your base." Sam quietly noted. "He was rightfully upset with me, he's not happy with a lot of other people for not helping either. Especially himself."

"Shit, fuck, did anyone else- was anyone else like- effected?"

The Warden's mind glossed over the smiling faces of the Eggpire, Antfrost, Bad, Punz- Until finally it landed on someone a lot more worthy of conversation.

"Puffy fought tooth and nail to make sure you were respected. She was so upset when she'd heard you were gone, she wouldn't talk to anyone. You may be in for a bone-crushing hug." Sam paused, looking at Phantominnit's semi-translucent and definitely boneless body. "Metaphorically."

"We got to get going then man, fuck! Can't let them be all mopey when I'm fuckin' back!" The phantom threw his armor on as quickly as he could, shoving all his items into his inventory before turning for the exit and grabbing Sam's hand and tugging him to the exit quickly. "Come on! Let's go! Switch on the portal!"

"Right," The Warden nodded, grabbing a keycard. After about a moment of frantic fumbling, he managed to light the portal in the right direction. The ghosts' head clicked louder and louder the whole time. "It should be okay! Go ahead, Toms."

The ghost quickly flung himself into the portal, out of either excitement or fear-

And stood in the frame. Still very, very visibly in the prison.

"Sam?"

"Tommy-"

"I don't think I can go through the portal anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My notes google doc has definitely gotten a few updates since the last stream, holy crap.
> 
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/19OkKRZji3kzWUpoQrVjNuaNT320mhrI62wwMmUHMgoY/edit?usp=drivesdk

**Author's Note:**

> Comments fuel me, so if you want to see more or have future ideas, I'm happy to hear it :)


End file.
